Sports: Speculation of groupism baseless: Shoaib Malik

The speculation of groupism in Pakistan team does hamper its progress but senior all-rounder Shoaib Malik on Thursday insisted that the side has what it takes to beat the odds given that it had won the 2009 World Twenty20 despite half a dozen players not being on talking terms.

Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik interacts with the media in Kolkata on Sunday.

Malik, putting up a brave face in the wake of Pakistan’s ordinary show so far in the tournament, said this negative talk of groupism only surfaces when the team loses.

“It is because of this speculation on groupism, we are not able to build a team. We are not able to get the consistency. When the team loses, there is pressure put on lots of people (stakeholders) and changes happen in the team,” Malik said in the pre-match press conference. “To me, all this speculation is baseless. Just to add to that, I want to say that six of us were not talking during the World T20 in 2009 but we still managed to win the title,” a defiant Malik said on the eve of Pakistan’s must-win match for both teams. Pakistan, whose semifinal hopes hang by a thread after two losses from three games, were hit by another controversy in the middle of the tournament with a government minister claiming that groupism and politics were rife in the team. Read More